Ford still couldn't find the courage to say an apology to McGucket.
"Come on, Ford," McGucket pleaded, looking concerned after seeing the look on Ford's face. "Just tell me what's goin' on. I'm sure you'll feel better after you tell me!"
Ford finally had decided to speak out and let it out. He just couldn't keep it inside him anymore. His college buddy was right there in front of him and just had to say it. His mind and lips were forcing him to. Plus his great niece Mabel, wouldn't even let them out of the closet after he said the words (who had trapped them there because of that), so he blurted out, "Fiddleford, I'm sorry!"
A look of shock came on McGucket's face when he heard those words. He looked up at Ford in surprise. "Wait… what did ya just say?"
"I said, I'm sorry," Ford told him again, feeling so relieved that he had gotten the words out. "For everything I've done to you and for ruining your life." Mabel was right. He had to admit, it did make him feel better, but he still felt super worried on how McGucket would react.
McGucket looked at him in surprise. "Stanford….I… I-"
"It's okay," Ford sighed sadly. "I know you'll say you hate me and won't accept my apology at all." He cringed. He had said that he was sorry for nothing. It did relieve him by getting the words off his lips, but he had done that for nothing at all. McGucket still appeared to hate him for what he did. Ford even started to regret listening to his kooky niece, for it didn't help.
Then something strange happened. McGucket started to laugh.
Ford eyed him weirdly. He expected to storm off angrily, but here he was, laughing insanely. "McGucket? Why are you laughing?" He asked, totally confused. He didn't find anything in this situation worth laughing about.
"Oh, Ford, ya didn't let me finish!" He grinned. "Of course I forgive you! Sure a lot of bad stuff happened in the past, but let's let bygones be bygones! Let's be friends like we used to be and forget the past!"
"Wait…do you really mean it?!" Ford asked, shocked.
"Of course I do!" McGucket beamed. He opened up his arms. "Come here, old friend!"
Ford smiled the biggest smile he ever had in 30 long years and gave McGucket a big hug. Turns out, McGucket did forgive him for the problems in the past and the was all that mattered to Ford.
"EEEEEEK!" Mabel burst open the closet door excitedly and gave her Grunkle Ford and McGucket a quick hug. "I so happy to see you guys are friends again! And Grunkle Ford, I told you that you should tell him you're sorry! Didn't you feel so much better?"
"Yup, I sure did, Mabel," Ford smiled. He put an arm around his old college buddy. "Now if you'll excuse us…" They both exchanged a happy glance before Ford turned his attention back to Mabel. "We have a lot of catching up to do."
Mabel got the hint. "Oh, right. Sorry. I'll just leave you two alone." She beamed before heading out the closet.
She ran over to her brother Dipper, who was reading things from journal 3.
"Dipper! I'm back!"
"Oh, hey, Mabel," Dipper said, without looking up from his book. "So how did things go between Grunkle Ford and McGucket?"
"Oh, Dipper!" She gave her brother a big hug. "I've done it! Ford and McGucket are friends again! Look!"
Dipper looked up from his book. He saw Ford and McGucket walking out the door of the shack, chatting and laughing together and talking about making new inventions together, being old buddies again like they had used to be.
"Wow," Dipper said, really impressed. He turned to Mabel, who had a victory look on her face, surprised. "Mabel, I can't believe your strategy worked! They are really good friends again! How did you do it?"
"Simple, Dipper," Mabel told him happily. "Cause I'm awesome and amazing."